


Scar Tissue

by GarnetSeren



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Boss/Employee Relationship, Budding Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Meetings, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Male-Female Friendship, Pining, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-04-25 06:06:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14372517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarnetSeren/pseuds/GarnetSeren
Summary: When he first met her, MacCready had no idea how drastically his new employer was going to change his life. But as he travels with the crazy woman; who has a glint in her eye and a veritable arsenal strapped to her back and thighs, he realises there's more to the Boss than meets the eye.***Originally titled Mac the Knife. New title is from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers song of the same name.***





	1. Prince Charming

MacCready huffed an annoyed sigh, when yet another pair of boots came into his line of vision. He'd only just got rid of those as... butt-holes, and he really couldn't be fu...bothered with any more trouble. So cautiously, he raised his gaze, peeping out from below his peaked cap; surprised to see a pair of shapely woman's legs clad in tight, faded black denim. MacCready knew from experience the encounter was about to go one of two, maybe three, ways.

“Look lady, if you're preaching about the atom, or looking for a friend, you've got the wrong guy,” he grit out. “If you need a hired gun... then maybe we can talk.”

He finally looked up at her then, and blo...blinking well hoped his mouth was hanging open. He'd never seen a woman look like her before. She looked like one of the damsels from the comics he secretly still liked to flip through; or the girls on the faded billboards, you saw around the Wastelands and the Commonwealth.

MacCready really hadn't expected her to laugh, or to call him charming; and he could feel a blush begin to creep up his neck, even though he knew she was sassing him. Regardless, he was about to tell her to shove off... convinced she was merely hoping for a good time... until she asked about Barnes and Winlock.

This time, he bit back the sigh.

He'd had more than one potential client run off because of his past with the Gunners, so he began to spout the well used script for her; or at least, he started too... though belatedly realised he'd let slip more than he usually did. Which pi...peeved him off.

“Now what about you? How do I know I won't end up with a bullet in my back?” he growled.

“Considering I'm wanting to hire you to watch _my_ back, that'd be a little counter productive,” she drawled. “However, having a chunk bitten out of you... now that I can't quite promise.”

It was only after those ominous words, that MacCready noticed the abnormally large hound, that stood guarding the entrance to the VIP area he'd holed himself up in. Taking the woman's words as the evident command it was, the dog snarled, baring it's teeth.

MacCready understood the point completely. This woman was wanting to hire his help, probably for the convenience of some long distance cove,r whilst she did whatever she did; not because she needed protection. He eyed her warily, trying to gage her; looking passed her jaw dropping good looks, to the small arsenal she seemed to have strapped to her back and thighs. Yeah... she certainly wasn't hiring him for protection.

“I'll tell you what,” he grumbled. “Price is two hundred and fifty caps... up front. And there's no room for bargaining.”

The corner of her mouth quirked. “Everything is negotiable. How about two hundred?”

He narrowed his eyes at her, assessing. “You drive a hard bargain, but you just bought yourself an extra gun. Miss...”

“Nora,” she stated, dropping the caps in his outstretched palm.


	2. Human

Even through the ringing in his ears, MacCready could hear the sound of gunshots; but they seemed distant, as if he was hearing them under water. He tried to blink his stubborn eyes open, but the smoke and the too close heat made them water. He tried to move, but his body refused to co-operate. There was a burning ache in his trigger hand, and a stinging pain in the elbow and shoulder of the same arm.

MacCready vaguely heard the sound of boots running across tarmac, he thought he heard someone shout something; it could have been his name, before a hand grabbed his uninjured arm. He tried to protest, to lash out at whoever or whatever started to drag him unceremoniously across the cracked road; but his attack was feeble and uncoordinated.

He must have blacked out after that, because the next thing MacCready knew, was that something cold and went being pushed against his cheek; followed by a pant of unmistakable canine breath, ghosting across his face. He tensed. Waiting for the inevitable attack. But after several racing heartbeats, when no vicious bite came, he risked cracking open his stinging eyes.

Above him sat the largest dog he could ever remember seeing; made more imposing by the canine combat armour strapped to it's body. He vaguely remember the Boss calling it an Alsatian... whatever that was. Wait. The Boss...

With surprising ease, MacCready managed to frantically push himself upright. He'd been following the Boss around the Commonwealth, along with the monster of a dog she had. He vaguely remembered the gunfight with a Gunner squadron; not Winlock and Barnes' lot, though he didn't think for a minute that they hadn't been sent by them. Though it was all still fuzzy, he remembered being shot in the arm, twice, before a car bomb had exploded near to where he was.

That was all MacCready could remember. He didn't know where the Boss was, and he sucked in a shaky breath. Where was she? If word got out that he'd let his Boss die on a mission, there was no hope he'd ever find work again... at least, that's the reason he tried to sell himself, when a wave a panic sweapt over him; there was no way he was actually _worried_ about her. Besides, the Boss was a fighter, and MacCready was convinced she was still alive, he just had to find her.

He attempted to stand on shaky legs, all for nought... since the damned dog flopped on his lap, pinning him to the floor. MacCready tried to push him off, but that was when he noticed his right arm bandaged from fingers to shoulder; though there were already patches of bloody beginning to seep through. He swallowed thickly, casting his eyes around himself, belatedly realising he was lying in a makeshift tent; canvas over his head, a rough wall to his back, and a damp sleeping bag beneath him. Off to the side, several used and discarded stimpacks and even two blood packs, lay on the dried grass.

His heart began to pound in his chest. Just how badly injured was he? How much blood had he lost? Who had rescued him? Was it the Boss, and if so, where the fu...frig was she?

As if answering a silent summons, the Boss suddenly came into view, carrying a bundle of branches in her arms. She dumped them in the ring of rocks MacCready only just noticed, before her gaze snapped to him. If he didn't know better, he'd have thought she'd look concerned, but that was stupid. He was only a hired gun, why would she care? He was amazed she'd even bothered to save him, let alone waste her supplies to patch him up.

“How you feeling, hotshot?” she asked, her voice quiet and surprisingly soothing.

“Yeah... um... better...” he replied, cautiously.

He'd had an employer once, that docked his wages whenever he needed to use supplies; even basics like dirty water, let only chems. He didn't think the Boss was that much off an as...butt-hole, but he'd only been travelling with her for a few weeks. He hadn't really been injured during that time, only a couple of scrapes he sorted on his own, so he had no idea how she was going to be. Sure, she shared her food and even purified water with him, but that was hardly the same as chems.

“Those guy really seemed to have it out for you,” the Boss stated, conversationally. “Anything to do with those assholes from Goodneighbour?”

MacCready bit back a sigh... so she wasn't going to dock him for patching him up. Oh no, it was much worse. The Boss was going to fire his sorry hide. Sh...ugar. He'd sort of gotten use to her by now, and as employers went, he had to begrudgingly admit she was the best one he'd had.

“I don't go around sharing stuff like this,” he grumbled, not meeting her eyes. “But you've been pretty straight with me, so I'm going to be straight with you. Those two assh... idiots you saw me talking to at the Third Rail, Winlock and Barnes. They've been hounding me for months, driving off clients. No one wants to touch me once they learn I used to run with the Gunners.”

After that, MacCready didn't really understand what happened. He'd meant to just stop at the basic explanation, and leave it at that. If she dropped him, at least she hadn't died on his watch, so there was a vague chance he'd find more work. However, once he started, MacCready couldn't seem to stop. He explained about wanting to buy the Gunners off, about his concerns they'd simply blow his brains out anyway. Fu...frig! He even found himself hinting at wanting her help... _him_ asking the Boss for a favour... but his mouth was running faster than MacCready could think. He even admitted he trusted her, for fu...frig's sake!

Though somehow, somehow the Boss had _willingly_ offered to help, before he actually lost his mind and outright asked... begged... her. MacCready almost gaped at her in utter shock and amazement.

“I have a funny feeling you actually care about me,” he stated, not caring that his surprise was evident. “I'll tell you what, I'm going to make this easy on you. If you feel like helping me with this, head over to the Mass Pike Exchange and we'll take them down. If you don't, I'm not going to hold it against you.” He shrugged, feeling a little awkward. “Either way, thanks for hearing me out. It's... ah... nice to know that you care.”

Whatever he was expecting after his little speach, MacCready certainly didn't count on the Boss settling her hand warmly on his uninjured shoulder, before she crouched down to be eye level with him. She was startlingly close; close enough that he could smell the soap she insisted on washing with every morning, and after every fight.

“Of course I'll help you, Mac,” she said, smiling. “I'm glad you trust me with this. For what it's worth, that means a lot.”

As she turned away to start the fire, MacCready couldn't help starting at her back. His trust meant a lot to her? She'd given him a nickname? He shook his head... just who the hell was this woman?!


	3. Work It Out

Rain was steadily pouring, as they huddled around the bucket fire. They were splattered in blood, or at least, he was. The Boss on the other hand, was relatively gore free; thanks to the Power Armour she'd insisted on bringing. And fu...frig! Wasn't he glad of that.

MacCready had half expected one of the bas...buggers to being using a set, but he hadn't known about the blo...blinking Assaultron. It was a damn good thing the Boss had been adament about wearing her Power Armour; they both knew she'd have come away from the fight with a lot more than an electrical burn to her left arm otherwise.

As it was, that was the only injury the Boss had sustained. Her dog was complete unscathed, and MacCready himself only had a bullet graze his left cheek; granted, it was a little close for comfort, but incredibly superficial. The same couldn't be said for the Gunners. They'd wiped out the entire waystation; the bodies and assaultron stacked at the far side of the covered area.

He couldn't believe this chapter of his miserable life was finally over, and though he felt relieved, something still sat heavy on his shoulders. He _owed_ the Boss now, and that was something he didn't like hanging over him. He'd tried to return the fee he'd charged her, the whole two hundred caps, but she'd annoyingly refused. But oddly, the relief was outweighing the apprehension about owing his employer.

Still, MacCready wasn't sure why he decided it was a good idea to bump shoulders with the Boss, it was more comradery than he'd shown anyone in years, but he it did regardless. He was even more surprised when she nudged her elbow into his thigh in return.

“Well, I wasn't about to let you have all this fun on your own,” she said, deadpan.

Despite himself, MacCready couldn't help chuckling. “Glad you enjoyed it.”

He hadn't expected to keep talking after that, assuming he'd take first watch whilst the Boss got some well earned shut eye. Though she shocked him further, by digging a bottle of whiskey from her pack; he preferred vodka, but the Boss liked to keep it as emergency disinfectant... and unfortunately, he couldn't fault her thinking.

Drinking on the road wasn't exactly unknown for them, but it was uncommon; but the Boss reasoned she'd hacked the Gunner turrets, so they would be safe for tonight. Once again, MacCready couldn't fault her logic, so he shared the bottle with her. But as he drank, he remembered why whiskey wasn't a favoured drink; it made him loose lipped.

Perhaps it was because the Boss had just done him a massive favour, or the unexpected sense of camaraderie, or maybe it was just the blo...blinking alcohol, but MacCready found himself telling her some of his past; about Little Lamplight and Running with the Gunners. He managed to stay away from anything too personal, he wasn't _that_ drunk or trusting yet, but he certainly told the Boss more than he ever meant to.

“Sounds like the road can be a lonely place... until you meet someone to share it with,” she drawled.

MacCready swallowed thickly. Was the Boss flirting... with him? He was certain there was a seductive purr to her voice just then, and a maddening tilt of her lips, that was sort of distracting him. His heart began to beat frantically in his chest. The Boss was a very attractive woman... objectively, of course. But once the thought crossed his mind, MacCready couldn't stop thinking it.

“I... well... I... er... never thought of it that way,” he stammered. “Maybe... ah... that's why I feel so comfortable telling you all of this.”

Chuckling, the Boss rested her head against his shoulder, as her uninjured hand petted his knee that was closet to her. MacCready's breath hitched at the unfamiliar but not unpleasant contact; and after a moment's hesitation, he cautiously lay his hand over hers... the alcohol was obviously messing with his impulse control, because the sane part of his brain was screaming it was a really bad idea.

“Look, I know I tend to be a pain in the as...butt. I mean, I know I tend to be arrogant and I come off like I want to be alone,” he babbled, his mouth running away from him again. “But nothing could be further from the truth. Being alone scares the heck out of me. Now that we've been travelling together for a while, I'm beginning to realise how much I missed having someone I could depend on.”

She gave his knee a comforting squeeze, as he let out a shaky breath. What the hell was wrong with him? He was never usually this open and honest, certainly never this emotional. But MacCready couldn't seem to stop himself, especially when the Boss smiled up at him, encouragingly.

“I just wanted you to know that I'm going to do everything I can to see that it stays this way,” he continued, trying not to cringe at his own words. “Well, that's all I had to say. Hope you got something out of all that. I know I did.”

“You're a sweet one, Mac, no matter how much you try to hide it,” she smiled. “But if you want to keep a good thing going... you can start calling me Nora.”

“It's Robert,” he blurted out.

Her smile grew wider, into a full on grin. “Nice to make your acquaintance... _Bobby_.”


	4. Signed and Sealed

The Boss... Nora... was shivering so violently and teeth chattering so hard, that MacCready was worried she was going to bite her tongue off. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, her dog snuggled up to her front, as she lay between them on the worn sleeping bag; their tarpaulin tent sheltering them from the worst of the wind.

The camp fire was as big as MacCready dared make it, her sodden clothes lay out to dry around it; and he tried his hardest not to think the Boss... Nora... was wearing nothing but _his_ spare shirt, as they cuddled up under his battered duster coat.

When she'd left him setting up camp in search of some scrap, MacCready didn't think he'd actually watch her jump from a bridge into freezing waters and than _swim_... because holy fu...frig! She could swim, and though he'd heard about it, MacCready had never seen anyone _do_ it before; radioactive water and all that... so she could escape a pack of feral ghouls.

MacCready's hands had shook when he'd automatically reached for his sniper rifle, but as soon as the gun as in his hand, the action of picking off the bas...blighters had been smooth and precise. Still, the time it had taken to pick the ferals off one by one, and the time it took Nora to stumble up to camp hadn't been long enough to dampen down his anxiety and anger. He'd been ready to shout at her, demand why she'd been so stupid and left her dog with him, until he noticed that her lips were turning blue.

In that moment, all his emotions turned to dread, as he watched her fumble to try and undo the leather straps of her armour. MacCready had never seen Nora falter in anything she did, and now she couldn't even shrug off drenched clothes. Without even thinking, he began to help her undress; trying not to blush, as more of her chilled skin was revealed. He'd tossed her their only blanket to dry off with, though ended up having to help, as she was too uncoordinated to do it herself.

His sense of uneasiness only grew, as he dressed her in his shirt, and guided her to the sleeping bag. MacCready knew it was possible to freeze to death; hypothermia, he'd heard it called... even seen some hapless bas...buggers who'd succumbed to it. But never anyone close to him. Never anyone who's welfare he cared about.

Panic was trying to set in, as he lit a small camp fire as close as he could to her, whilst her dog snuggled up to her. It gave MacCready an idea, or perhaps a half forgotten memory, about body heat; and after shrugging off his duster to replace the now wet blanket, he'd cuddled up behind her. Hoping... _praying_... it was going to be enough.

As her shaking and chattering continued, Nora began to cry quietly. At first, MacCready thought it was from the fright of having to jump then swim for her life... but then she began to talk. About the cold, and the vault, and not being able to move... not being able to help, to fight...

He listened in shocked silence, as she recounted what happened to her family; her murdered husband and kidnapped son. But what blew him away most, was learning she came from a time before the bombs dropped; over two _hundred_ years ago.

MacCready listened to Nora's tale of how her world was torn about; from watching her way of life be taken away from her, to having her family taken too. He listened as she told of her life before it all, of how happy she'd been.Of how she'd gone from a military lawyer, whatever that was, to a proud housewife and new mother.

Tears where glistening in his own eyes, as Nora finished; and when she took a shuddering breath, he began to talk. He told her about his family... skimming over Lucy's passing whilst admitting he _had_ a wife; past tense. But the hurt was still too painful to admit out loud how he'd failed her. He talked about Duncan, about his illness; explaining he didn't know if his son would survive.

Nora's fingers linked with his that were splayed over her stomach, giving a comforting squeeze, as she offered her assistance in a trembling voice. MacCready had never heard the Boss sound so fragile, yet she still cared enough about him to help. He buried his face in the crook of her neck; holding her closer, trying to blink back the tears.

“You've already done so much for me, I feel horrible asking for more,” he choked out. “But, if you're willing to risk it, I might have a way we could save him.”

“Of course I'll help, Bobby. Count me in,” she assured, quietly.

An almost hysterical laughter bubbled out of him. When he taken her offer of work, MacCready had never expected Nora would go to these sort of lengths for him. Fu...frig! He hadn't expected to like her and trust her as much as he did either. At this point, after travelling together for nearly three months, MacCready didn't know what he'd do without her.

She was more than a boss, more than a friend... she was a partner.

With faltering words, he told her everything he knew about the disease, the cure, and the plan he'd formed to get it. He explained what he knew about the building, and what he knew for certain was inside... ghouls. Feral fu...frigging ghouls. And lots of them. The hitch in his voice must have given away his hatred of the things, perhaps even his fear, but MacCready still couldn't face telling Nora _why_ they bothered him so much.

“What you're doing... no one's ever cared that much about me before. Even if it takes me the rest of my life... I'll repay this debt to you, I swear it,” he promised, instead.

“Getting your son well and back to you will be payment enough,” she whispered, brokenly.

MacCready hugged Nora's still cold body closer to him; he knew she understood how he felt, and her simple answer nearly shattered his heart.


	5. Like Toy Soldiers

“Hey, do me a favour... take care of MacCready for me. He's one of the good ones.”

MacCready was in such a daze as they left Daisy's Discounts, that he barely heard what the ghoul said to Nora as they walked out. Still, he could feel the flush creeping up his neck in embarrassment... Daisy was always trying to set him up, but was his growing crush on his boss _really_ that obvious?

Though he supposed it didn't matter what either woman said right now; they were both helping him to save Duncan, in their own way. Nora had helped him get the cure, now Daisy was getting the chem to his son. MacCready couldn't believe how lucky he was... how lucky Duncan was... that he'd managed to find just about the only two people in the forsaken Commonwealth that gave a shi...damn about him.

Nora especially, as he realised she was patiently guiding him down to the Third Rail; promising Ham that “No, Mac isn't high” and “Yes, I'll make sure he doesn't start any trouble”. Which was hilarious, because MacCready was pretty fu...frigging sure it was her and Hancock that started the last bar fight.

He supposed it didn't really matter, as she guided him to the VIP area, her hand warm and comforting where it wrapped his wrist. The fact Nora actually had to help him sit down, before she went to grab them some beers, probably explained why Ham thought he was hopped up on chems; when really it was a testament to how high and dazed he felt just from sheer relief.

Which was something that only started to wear off, when he was halfway through his second bottle of tepid Gwinnett Pale, and he more or less blinked back into the real world. He found Nora looking at him with a fond, indulgent smile on her lips; his cheeks positively burned from the blush he could feel there.

“Hey, Nora... um... I think we need to talk,” he said, hurriedly. “It's... er... been nagging at me for a while. I've been waiting for the right moment to talk to you, and I suppose this is... ah... a good a time as any.”

MacCready took a steadying breath to drum up some courage, before he reached out to take hold of Nora's left hand. She seemed surprised, but didn't hesitate to let him hold it out palm up. With his free one, he rummaged around his coat pocket, until his fingers brushed against the object he was looking for.

“After helping me get Duncan's cure from Med-Tek, I figured I owe you something... and I always pay my debts. Here, I wanted you to have this.”

Swallowing thickly, he gave the item in his hand a finally loving caress, before carefully placing the little wooden soldier into Nora's waiting palm; in the back of his mind, he wondered if Lucy had felt this nervous when she'd given it to him.

Nora's brow furrowed slightly in confusion, though she smiled warmly at the figure. Nervously, he began to explain to her why the wooden soldier meant so much to him; trying to say without saying it, how much _she_ meant to him... if the softness in her gaze was anything to go by, MacCready thought Nora understood.

Though he knew that wasn't the end of it; after what she'd done for him, she deserved to know everything about his past. Nora had trusted him enough with her story, and it was high time he repaid the favour. So in a trembling voice, MacCready told her everything; blinking back tears as he admitted he wondered if he and Duncan should have died with Lucy.

She was a flurry of movement after that, and for a second, he thought she was moving in to smack him. He closed his eyes, bracing for the impact of her hand or fist. However, his eyes snapped open the minute he felt Nora sit in his lap. There was a moment when he simply stared at her in shock, before her arms wrapped securely around his neck; pulling him into a tight hug.

MacCready's arms acted on their own volition, as they wrapped around Nora's waist just as firmly. Tears pricked his eyes, as he buried his face in the crook of her neck; revelling in the warmth and comfort she radiated.

“I miss Lucy,” he murmured into Nora's skin. “No matter how bad things got, she was always there with a shoulder to lean on. It gave me... well, it gave me the courage I needed to press ahead... to never give up. When she died, I thought that feeling was gone forever... then I met you.”

He paused, squeezing Nora closer; and a tear rolled down his cheek, when she pressed a soft kiss to his stubbled jaw. MacCready knew he'd been holding back and in denial about his feelings for _months_ as they travelled together, but he couldn't ignore it any longer. The only person who had ever made him feel like Nora did, was Lucy.

“You have the world's problems on your back, and you're here helping me with mine. Lending me your shoulder... like Lucy did,” he continued, his voice still muffled against her throat. “I just... want you to know how much your friendship means to me.”

Nora gave a soft, almost self-depreciating, huff of laughter that ghosted across his ear. “I... was hoping what we have together could be more than friendship.”

MacCready pulled away from her slightly, stunned. He searched her eyes for any hint of a joke; he'd never known Nora to be cruel, but he felt so vulnerable right then, he didn't want to risk his already shot emotions being trampled on.

He asked about her late husband; swallowing thickly when she said that Nate would always have a place in her heart, just as Lucy would always have a place in his. He nodded, mutely; amazed that she understood something he hadn't even told her. They were two sides of the same coin.

“I know I was taking a chance, dumping all my feelings on the table,” he stated, quietly. “But now that I know how you feel about me... it was definitely worth the risk.”

Unable to help himself, MacCready cupped her face with his hands; loving stroking his thumbs across her cheekbones. “For once in my life, everything's going right, and I have you to thank for it. I don't think anyone in the world could ask for a greater gift than that. Thank you.”


	6. Kamikaze

Silently, they had both decided that the Third Rail was not the place to share their first kiss; too many eyes that all reported back to Hancock... and as much as he liked the ghoul, MacCready could do without the Mayor knowing too much about his personal life. So they headed to Hotel Rexford, where Nora quickly booked them a room.

Unceremoniously, they dumped their packs and already discarded armour by the door; though they didn't get much further, before MacCready was unable to resist pulling Nora back into his arms. Her hands clasped around the back of his neck, as he held her flush to his body.

He took a moment, silently searching her face; seeing the myriad of coloured flex he'd never noticed, that made up her beautiful eyes. Nora's tongue darted out to wet her lips, and MacCready's gaze was riveted to the movement.

“You okay there, hotshot?” she asked, kindly.

“Having you this close to me had made me happier than I've ever been before,” he admitted, a little shyly.

Nora smiled at him softly, before slowly leaning in to capture his lips with hers. MacCready's eyes slipped shut, as he inhaled the clean sent of her soap, and felt the worn cotton of her shirt beneath his fingers.

Her kiss was gentle and sweet; loving. He smiled against her mouth, when he felt her reach up to divest him of his favourite hat. However, he readily opened up, when her tongue swiped the seam of his lips, and he could taste the bitter tang of the beer as their kiss deepened. Slowly, he began to back Nora up to the bed, stealing fleeting pecks as they went. But despite his actions, it was her that pulled him down to the mattress, and MacCready braced himself above her on his elbows.

“I love you,” she whispered.

MacCready stilled, stunned. He couldn't believe the amazing woman below him would feel that strongly for him; that she would actually return the feelings he'd been trying to hide, for most of the year he'd known her. He was ecstatic, but still shocked. However, he must have been silent for too long, as Nora began to worry her lower lip nervously between her perfect teeth.

“Too much?” she asked, hesitantly.

“I plan on walking this earth with you until the day I die,” he replied, quickly. “That give you enough of a clue?” He paused to give her a lingering kiss. “I'll never forget what you've done for me. You saved me... from myself.”

He worried he'd been a little too honest with that revelation, worried he'd ruined the mood. But Nora smiled up at him with such obvious affection, that MacCready knew she understood... as terrible as it was that they'd both suffered so much, he so thankful he'd found the one person who made him feel whole again.

“I promise, we'll get Shaun back,” he vowed.

Tears glistened in her eyes, as she nodded. “Then we'll get Duncan, and build the boys a home.”


	7. Road Less Traveled

MacCready leant back against surprisingly plush sofa, his head propped up against Nora's shoulder. He flipped through the latest comic she'd scavenged, enjoying the pictures, whilst she read a large book filled with tightly packed text. Or at least, that's what he guessed it was filled with. And whatever it was about, MacCready knew Nora was _reading_ it, not just looking through the pages like he was.

He bit back a sigh.

In the few weeks they'd been dating, he'd been feeling more and more unworthy of her. He couldn't lounge around talking history and politics and even blo... blinking philosophy like she did with Hancock. And he certainly couldn't work side by side with her, bent over a desk and pouring over reports like she did with Nick. Fu... frig! He couldn't even discuss those classic books she seemed to love, like she did with Deacon and Preston, of all people.

Because he was too stupid to even know how to read.

Of course, out in the Wastelands and Commonwealth, knowing how to shoot a gun, hunt for food, and basic first aid, were much more practical and important skills to know. Reading were for those who grew up in the big cities; where your prospects were a little better than becoming a mercenary or a farm hand... something he'd never been afforded, and until meeting Nora, it was never something that really bothered him.

Though it certainly wasn't Nora's fault that he felt like he did. If anything, MacCready knew she'd be devastated if she found out, but that was the point; he'd painstakingly made it so she wouldn't. Faking disinterest, instead of admitting he was burning with curiosity, but didn't know where to start.

 _He_ knew she was far out of his league, he just didn't want to remind her.

He...heck. Duncan could probably read better than he could by now, since he was being cared for by Wanderer and Charon. And what sort of father did that make him? When friends could teach his son more, and care for him better, than he could. Without meaning to, MacCready let out a dejected sigh, that Nora noticed immediately.

“What's wrong, Bobby?” she asked.

Nora absent-mindedly kissed his unruly hair, though she did mark her page with a bit of torn cigarette carton; so there was no mistaking MacCready had her full attention. He swallowed thickly, refusing to meet her eyes. Part of him wanted to tell her; after all, this was Nora... she'd helped him save his son for crying out loud. If anyone would take the time to help him with this, it was her. On the other hand, he'd rather kiss Strong, than reveal yet another reason why he was so inadequate.

“What you reading?” he asked instead.

“Woman on the Edge of Time,” Nora replied. “It was a favourite when I was in college. It's about a woman who loses her child and husband, before being shown two versions of what the future could be; one of radical equality, and another with grotesque exploitation. Then the main character finds out she could be the one who makes the decision about how the future will turn out.”

MacCready could only stare at her. _That_ was a favourite story of hers, from before the war? He couldn't help wondering if Nora ever imagined she'd be in the heroine's place.

“Do you have any other favourites?”

Nora's beautiful face lit up with a gorgeous smile. “When I was little, my favourite was Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland. It's about a girl who falls down a rabbit hole, into a fantasy world filled with peculiar people and creatures, but she actually handles it really well, and helps those that live in the new land. My dad use to read it to me every night.”

She paused, staring off wistfully as she sometimes did, when she talked about the past. “For my thirteenth birthday, he bought me Alice Through the Looking Glass, which follows the same girl once she's a little older, and she goes back to Wonderland... it became my new favourite.”

All MacCready could do was shake his head. _How_ could Nora love stories like that? Was it some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, the type Hancock liked to talk about when he was high on Grape Mentants; which MacCready only knew, from eavesdropping on one of the ghoul's and Nora's conversations, when he was feeling particularly... lacking. Which happened more often than MacCready would like.

Okay, so the whole reading thing _may_ be a little more important than he liked to admit, even to himself.

MacCready had known from the start, that he'd never measure up to what Nora deserved, but he'd deluded himself... right from their first kiss three weeks ago, he'd let himself believe that _maybe_ it didn't matter, and that somehow he was enough.

But now, when they were all resting around Sanctuary; waiting for the joint effort of the Minutemen and Railroad to finish the transporter up at the old vault, MacCready realised how little he had to offer Nora... and how many much more suitable men there were for her, just in their group of friends.

Fu...frig! Even _Strong_ knew more about books than he did, for fu... fudge's sake!

“What's this really about?” Nora asked, gently.

He shrugged, ready to deny anything was wrong. Until...

“Do you want me to teach you?”

MacCready sat bolt up right, turning to stare at Nora. He was probably gaping at her too, but it didn't really matter; nothing could make him look any more pathetic and foolish.

“You knew?!” he demanded.

Unperturbed by his outburst, Nora simply smiled softly, before taking his calloused hands in her much smoother ones. She rubbed her thumbs soothingly across his knuckles, and MacCready found himself eventually relaxing into the couch again. Nora chuckled then; snatching the discarded comic he'd been reading from the floor where it fell, then cuddled up into his side. Without thinking, MacCready draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

“Tell you what, I'll read to you tonight,” Nora stated. “But in the morning, you'll start your first lesson. How's that sound?”

“Um...”

“We can begin with Grognak, if it'll sweeten the deal?” she grinned.

Despite feeling like a radstag caught in floodlights, MacCready couldn't help the huff of laughter than escaped him. Nora looked so eager; like she was actually excited at the thought of helping him, that he decided to risk his pride and chance humiliate himself; just as long as he could keep making her smile like that.

And who knew... there could be a slim chance he might actually get the whole reading milarky in the end... maybe. One day. So steadying his breath, MacCready planted a kiss on Nora's forehead, trying not to think of how nervous he felt.

“You drive a hard bargain, but you just bribed yourself a student, Boss.”

 


End file.
